Blue Monster welcomes WGC-CA field
IN: News | US PGA | CA Championship (2007) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 20 Mar 2007
With Augusta now just two weeks away, this week's WGC-CA event at Doral's Blue Monster takes on a certain level of significance as the world's best get together for one last face off before they will again do battle at the Masters starting on April 5th.
The tournament is essentially a replacement for the WGC American Express Championship, and is the second of four WGC events in 2007. This is the week normally reserved for the Players Championship. With that event being moved back to provide a better balance to the leading events on the PGA Tour schedule and to perhaps enjoy better weather in northern Florida in May, this new event gets its opportunity.
The tournament brings together the top 74 players from various money and ranking lists from around the world and although the leading players are here because of the top fifty world ranking category, the event also brings together an eclectic mix of golfers, some of whom will be playing an event of this magnitude for the very first time.
The tournament is being played at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa near Miami's International airport, a golf course that has been used in USPGA tournament golf since 1962 when Billy Casper defeated Paul Bondeson to win the Doral CC Open.
The course was originally designed by Robert Von Hagge and Dick Wilson in the early 1960's, redesigned by Ray Floyd in 1996 and again by Jim McLean in 2000 when the strengthening of the course by Floyd was deemed by some to be a little overdone. There are several courses at Doral Golf Resort and Spa including one by Greg Norman called - unsurprisingly - Great White.
Just over twelve months ago Tiger Woods won his second consecutive event at this venue when he defeated David Toms and rookie Camilo Villegas by one shot after leading the event throughout. Dropped shots at the last two holes perhaps flattered his chasers although Toms did push Woods all the way after turning down a family ski holiday to be at the event.
Woods will once again be the favourite although his inexplicable last three holes at Bay Hill last Sunday where he dropped six shots in the space of three holes leaves a question mark about his capacity to get the job done this weekend. He boasts a great record over the Blue Monster however as not only has he won the last two times at this event, but he also finished runner up to Ernie Els in 2002. With this being his last event before Augusta there will be much interest on how Woods finishes this event off.
Vijay Singh is right back to his best as his win last week at Bay Hill proved. He has not won at this venue but has gone close enough and often enough for him to be a threat in his current form.
Phil Mickelson finished runner up to Woods in a titanic battle in 2005 and will be keen to improve on what was a rather ordinary week at Bay Hill last week especially given that Augusta is just around the corner. He was in great form earlier this season however and might just bounce back quickly this week.
Jim Furyk has been a winner at the Blue Monster, that being in 2000 and he also lost a playoff to Scott Hoch in 2003. He has been struggling with an old wrist injury of late and withdrew from last week's Bay Hill event. He appears to be ok to play this week however.
David Toms has a good record at the Blue Monster and has played well enough this season for that record to be continued and even improved upon.
Henrik Stenson is playing this venue for the first time but he is one of the game's hottest commodities now and it would not surprise to see him do well again this week A reasonable finish last week at Bay Hill followed consecutive victories at the Accenture and in Dubai which is form good enough to challenge any field.
Retief Goosen had a solid week last week at Bay Hill and has played this course well on the few occasions he has been to previous events at Doral.
Since his win at the Honda Classic two weeks ago Mark Wilson has continued to play well. He has not missed a cut in his last twelve starts and with the recent win behind him he might be a chance to again do well on a golf course where he has 'boxed well above his weight' previously. He will be at juicy odds for those who like a bet.
Of the eight Australians in the field, perhaps Allenby is our best chance just ahead of Ogilvy, Nick O'Hern and Adam Scott. Allenby's bubble burst a little last week after such a great start to the year but it was a reasonable week.
Ogilvy has not done all that week at this course but he is in very good form and appears to be peaking for Augusta. He has a couple of satisfactory finishes at this course but is a much better player now than was ever the case when here previously.
Scott has played very little of late and so it is hard to get a guide as to where his game is at right now. He played this venue just the once, missing the cut on that occasion. It might be a little much to expect him to do well on such a limited preparation.
Nick O'Hern, Stuart Appleby, Nathan Green, Aaron Baddeley and Rod Pampling make up the remainder of the Australian hopefuls in an event worth US$8 million.
